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74 | WINE ENTHUSIAST | BEST OF YEAR 2014

WINEMAG.COM | 75

TOP 25

BEERSOF 2014

A Hearty “Prost!” to Our Favorite BrewsB Y L A U R E N B U Z Z E O

This list is not the top 25 beers of all time. Instead, it’s our annual ranking of the best-reviewed selections over the past 12 months. Culled from our monthly Beer Buying Guide, these represent the most exciting beers reviewed this year, sure to please proud beer aficionados and curious cross-drinkers alike. They exhibit extraordinary craftsmanship, innovation and quality at affordable prices.

The majority of beers submitted and reviewed this year were domestic selections, emphasizing the still-growing American craft-brewing culture. A sampling of international brews added global perspective to our monthly tastings.

We ultimately strive for balance by representing many of the different categories reviewed throughout the year. We had some killer stouts, IPAs and American wild ales, to name a few, all of which racked up some truly outstanding scores. But in the interest of showcasing the diversity that exists in the beer world today, not all of these top-scoring beers ap-pear here.

Instead, this list is a compilation that includes selections from numerous states and countries, of varying styles, with assorted price tags and distribution areas. There are some beers that are available from coast to coast, while oth-ers might not be readily available in your area or are extremely limited in production. One thing’s for sure: They’re all treasures well worth the hunt.

You can check out all of the tasty beers reviewed this year by visiting our online Buying Guide at buyingguide.winemag.com. But for now, grab your favorite cold one and enjoy the best this year’s reviews had to offer.

TOP 25 BEERS 2014

76 | WINE ENTHUSIAST | BEST OF YEAR 2014

196 The Lost Abbey

Serpent’s Stout (American Double/Imperial Stout; The Lost Abbey, CA). Lost Abbey’s beers are never shy on flavor or in-tensity, and this certainly lives up to that expecta-tion. It’s a big, bold, black beer that opens with for-ward scents of roasted malt, fudgy chocolate, rai-sin, prune and licorice. Those notes carry through to the flavorful but sur-prisingly approachable palate, with light carbon-ation and a pleasing astrin-gency that lends a chewy texture to the finish. Fla-vors of caramel, molasses, burnt brown bread, fig paste and mocha espresso

abound in the mouth, ending with a flourish of Bourbon- soaked oak.abv: 11% Price: $12/750 ml

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97 New Glarus Raspberry Tart (Fruit Beer; New Glarus Brewing Company, WI). With over a

pound of raspberries in each bottle, this is a pow-erful and extremely fruit-forward selection. A gor-geous, pristine deep-ruby hue, with a soft pink head is coupled with aromas that hit you immediately upon opening and jump out of the glass once poured. Hints of sweet malt and wild yeast add depth to the crisp and lively palate, with lifting acidity that complements the fresh raspberry flavor and ends long and refreshing on the finish. This is a must-try, pristine fruit beer. abv: 4% Price: $9/750 ml

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96 Alaskan Brewing Co. 2013 Smoked Por-ter (American Porter; Alaskan Brewing

Co., AK). A perennial classic, Alaskan Brewing’s vintage- dated Smoked Porter continues to impress. The 2013 bottling seems to have even more depth and power than usual, with intense aromas of char and campfire upfront, supported by notes of choco-late, cigar box, roasted malt and a hint of dark fruit. It’s a deep, dark brown color—almost black—with a fluffy tan head that lingers. The palate is smooth, full and creamy, with lush flavors that mimic the bouquet alongside accents of hickory-cured bacon, roasted coffee and s’mores. A sweet smoke sensation lingers on the long finish; with this concentration, power and balance, this is a selection that’s sure to evolve and age well for years to come. Cellar Selec-tion. abv: 6.5% Price: $9/22 oz

495 Founders Imperial Stout (Amercian Dou-

ble/Imperial Stout; Foundes Brewing, MI). Brewed with 10 varieties of malted barley, this is a well-balanced and complex stout that manages to go down smooth and (almost too) easy despite the high alcohol content. It pours dark as night, opaque black in color, with a serious mocha-colored head that shows excellent staying power. Rich, bold, dark-roast coffee aromas lead the bouquet, alongside notes of bittersweet chocolate, sweet smoke, licorice root and whole anise that carry through to the lush, creamy palate. A touch of bitterness lends texture and grip to the finish, with drying notes of cocoa powder, charred oak, coffee grind and blackened toast that linger long. abv: 10.5% Price: $12/12 oz 4 pack

594 Karl Strauss Mosaic Session Ale (American

IPA; Karl Strauss Brewing Company, CA). Part of Strauss’ Coastal Reserve Series, which has served as a hoppy playground for the company’s brew-ers to experiment with new hop varieties, hopping techniques and pushing style boundaries, this is a clean, pristine, well-balanced single hop IPA. High-

lighting the intensely aromatic Mosaic hop variety, this boasts intense citrus and tropical fruit aromas and flavors—think orange supreme, grapefruit slice, pineapple, guava and mango. It’s dry hopped to pre-serve the intense hop aromatics without pushing the body or alcohol too high, although the palate still of-fers ample weight and richness. The finish is brisk and dry, with a mouthwatering citrus juice and peel flavor that lingers.abv: 5.5% Price: $8/22 oz

693 Ommegang Hennepin Farmhouse Saison

(Saison/Farmhouse Ale; Brewery Omme-gang, NY). Hennepin is a classic domestic saison, a benchmark for the style. Brewed with grains of paradise, ginger and sweet-orange peel, this is spicy and attractive right from the start, with additional aromas and flavors of pepper, pale malt, Anjou pear, underripe banana, tart citrus and fresh grass. Me-dium to light in body, this is remarkably balanced, with crisp, tingling carbonation that leads into the dry yet refreshing finish. A no-brainer for summer entertaining, just beware of the well-hidden alcohol.abv: 7.7% Price: $10/12 oz 4 pack

794 Odell Friek (American Wild Ale; Odell Brewing

Company, CO). This kriek lambic-style beer is fermented with wild yeast and tart cherries, then aged in oak. Raspberries from a local Fort Collins farm are added immediately prior to the final blend-ing, resulting in a forward fresh-raspberry aroma on the nose. Additional layers of tart dried cherry, co-coa, peach skin and bretty funk add depth and com-plexity, carrying through to the medium-full mouth. There’s a bright line of acidity throughout, keeping the palate lively and the finish mouthwatering, with light astringency and a spiced vanilla accent on the finish. abv: 6.5% Price: $18/750 ml

892 Smuttynose Durty Mud Season Hoppy Brown

Ale (American Brown Ale; Smuttynose Brew-ing Company, NH). This new brew originally comes from one of Smutty’s Short Batch releases, but makes its seasonal debut this spring. It’s a wonder-ful balance of rich, toasty brown-ale characteristics and bright, citrusy hop notes. The hop profile leads on the nose, with forward scents of grapefruit peel and pine resin, while the malty core of caramel, tof-fee and brown-bread flavors flesh out the creamy palate. The finish is dry and astringent, with good length and a kiss of bittersweet cocoa flavor.abv: 8.4% Price: $9/12 oz 6 pack

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992 Allagash Saison Bel-

gian-style Ale (Saison / Farmhouse Ale; Allagash Brewing Co., ME). The first ad-dition to Allagash’s year-round lineup in seven years, this saison is clean and re-freshing. A hazy, golden-straw color with a nice, pillowy white head, this offers nu-ances of white pepper, whole nutmeg, clove, ginger and or-ange zest along with a clean malt core. Notes of dried grass and white flower accent the palate, with a subtle mineral-ity and an incredibly attrac-tive dryness on the finish. This is well-balanced, elegant

and extremely drinkable—an ideal pairing for gener-ously spiced or fiery fare.abv: 6.1% Price: $11/12 oz 4 pack

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92 Unibroue Blanche de Chambly (Witbier; Uni-broue, Canada). This pours a hazy golden-

yellow color, with a frothy white head that lingers and leaves nice lacing behind with each sip. Citrusy notes of lemon and orange rind immediately waft from the glass, with additional hints of fresh wheat, yeasty spice and white pepper that carry through to the palate. The mouthfeel is medium-light and approachable, with an attractive citrus-peel bitter-ness that stays through the finish. abv: 5% Price: $10/12 oz 4 pack

1192 Great Lakes Brewing Oktoberfest (Märzen;

Great Lakes Brewing Co., OH). A dazzling copper color in the glass, this pours with great clar-ity and a pillowy tan head, leaving stunning lacing

behind with each sip. The aromas are fresh and in-viting, reminiscent of a crisp fall day, with notes of fresh-baked bread, roasted malt, peanut shell and a touch of soft caramel. The palate offers more of the same, with additional accents of earthy hops and forest floor. Smooth, clean and creamy on the pal-ate, this is a seasonal treat that should be enjoyed as often as possible.abv: 6.5% Price: $10/12 oz 6 pack

1292 The Bruery Saison de Lente Belgian-style

Saison Ale (Saison/Farmhouse Ale; The Bru-ery, CA). This attractive selection pours a rich gold color, with a slight haze and a fluffy off-white head. The bouquet is immediately earthy, with a fresh hoppiness and a wild, brett-based character along-side notes of white pepper and tangerine peel. The medium-weight mouth offers those same notes, and is supported by a bready malt backbone. Unfiltered and bottle conditioned, this is a layered and complex brew that will evolve over time, with the fresh hop notes subsiding and the dry, earthy characteristics becoming increasingly prominent.abv: 6.5% Price: $10/750 ml

1391 Hops & Grain The One They Call Zoe A Pale Lager

(American Pale Lager; Hops and Grain Brewery, TX). Don’t let the can (or playful name) fool you: this is a delicious lager that boasts balance, harmony and character. Brewed with German malts and Oregon hops, and dry hopped after fermentation, this boasts lively aromas and flavors of clean, pale malt, lemon zest, fresh grass and subtle floral esters. The texture is smooth and crisp, complemented by medium car-bonation and a lightly bitter, hop-fueled finish that’s tasty and refreshing. A very sessionable selection that’s perfect for outdoors.abv: 5.2% Price: $8/12 oz 6 pack

1491 Deschutes Red Chair NWPA (American Pale

Ale; Deschutes Brewery, OR). This attractive pale ale pours a bright amber color, with a frothy off-white head and gorgeous lacing that lingers. Forward hop-derived aromas leap from the glass, including scents of orange oil, grapefruit pith and pressed hop flowers, with additional notes of ripe tropical fruit and sweet, raw dough that add depth. A solid cara-mel-malt backbone supports the creamy, medium-weight palate and keeps the piny, bitter-hop flavors in check. Hints of caramel and toasted bread tease on the finish, followed by a long, dry astringency that leaves you begging for more. abv: 6.2% Price: $9/12 oz 6 pack

1591 Miltenberger Dunkles Hefe Weizen Dark Wheat

Beer (Dunkelweizen; Brauhaus Faust, Ger-many). Don’t let the color fool you—this brown beauty may look bold and powerful, but it’s remark-ably smooth and approachable. Attractive aromas and flavors of caramel malt, toasted wheat, peanut shells, brown banana, clove and a touch of cocoa fill the nose and medium-weight mouth. Although there’s a lot going on, it’s all harmonious and well-balanced, with medium carbonation and a lightly dry, toasted-grain finish. This will pair remarkably well with hard cheeses, like cheddar or aged Gouda, as well as barbecue chicken and burgers. Iron Horse Beverage. abv: 5.2% Price: $4/500 ml

1690 Full Sail India Pale Ale (American IPA; Full

Sail Brewing Company, OR). This fruity IPA pours a rich golden color, with a frothy, lingering head. It offers an attractive bouquet of hop resin, fresh citrus and malt cracker. It’s flavorful without being overdone or feeling too heavy, with delicate carbonation and flavors of grapefruit peel and pine sap. Well balanced and extremely drinkable, there’s an attractive dryness to the finish that leaves you ready for more.abv: 6% Price: $8/12 oz 6 pack

1790 Uinta Bristlecone

Brown Ale (English Brown Ale; Uinta Brewing, UT). A refreshing and well-balanced selection, this is a smooth and clean brown ale that also happens to be quite sessionable thanks to its easygoing profile and low alcohol. Flirty scents of caramel malt, peanut shells, weak coffee and brown bread dance in the bouquet and continue through to the light-bodied palate. Brisk carbonation keeps the mouthfeel bright and lively, with just a no-

tion of bitter, earthy hop that unfolds on the finish. abv: 4.3% Price: $9/12 oz 6 pack

TOP 25 BEERS 2014

78 | WINE ENTHUSIAST | BEST OF YEAR 2014

1890 Samuel Adams Rebel

IPA (American IPA; The Boston Beer Co., MA). Labeled a “West Coast style IPA,” this new selection was born in Sam Adams’s nano-brewery, a 10-gallon beer “test kitchen.” The intent be-hind the brew was to show-case the expressive nature of Pacific Northwest hop variet-ies—Cascade, Simcoe, Cen-tennial, Chinook and Amaril-lo—without the typical overt bitterness. The result is a bold and intensely aromatic brew, brimming with notes of

fresh citrus and grapefruit peel, as well as resiny pine and fresh red apple. It’s medium bodied yet drink-able and refreshing, with a solid cracker-malt back-bone to support the assertive hop characteristics.abv: 6.5% Price: $10/12 oz 6 pack

1990 Echt Veldensteiner Landbier (Munich Dunkel

Lager; Kaiser Bräu, Germany). A traditional, balanced and well-made dunkel lager, this pours a dark chestnut color with a vigorous head. The aromas are all rich and brown, with scents of baking spice, brown bread, toffee and honey-roasted peanuts. The palate is generous but not overdone, with a medium-weight mouthfeel and ample carbonation to keep the sweet flavors of roasted malt and caramel from feeling too heavy. Subtle hop and tea-like astringen-cy lingers on the finish. All Star Imports, LLC.abv: 5.4% Price: $4/500 ml

2090 Trumer Pils (German-

style Pilsner; Trumer Brauerei Berkeley, CA). This is a clean, classic pilsner, originat-ing in Austria but now brewed in California, still in accor-dance with the Reinheitsgebot, or German beer purity law. It pours a brilliant golden-straw color, with a bouquet that of-fers clean and precise aromas of grass, dried hops, orange and grain. The high carbon-ation and light body make this an easy-drinking and refresh-ing selection, with final glim-

mers of pepper and hoppy bitterness on the clean fin-ish. abv: 4.9% Price: $9/12 oz 6 pack

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90 Samuel Smith’s Organic Pale Ale (English Pale Ale; Samuel Smith Old Brewery (Tad-

caster), England). This organic pale ale is bright and clean, with a lovely orange-amber color and a frothy off-white head. The aromas are malty and doughy, with notes of grain and lightly toasted biscuit that are accented by hints of whole hops and underripe stone fruit. Toasted bread and nutty waves unfold on the palate, as glimmers of white tea and fruit skin lend depth to the otherwise refreshing, medium- bodied mouthfeel. A smooth and well-balanced se-lection that’s flavorful yet sessionable.abv: 5% Price: $5/550 ml

2290 Firestone Oaktoberfest Paso Märzen Beer

(Märzen; Firestone Walker Brewing Com-pany, CA). The name might mislead consumers into thinking this is an oak-aged Märzen, but it’s really a rich, spicy and traditional interpretation of the tra-ditional Oktoberfest style. The “oak” in Oaktober-fest is merely a playful nod to the brewery’s location in Paso Robles, which translates as “Oak Pass.” It offers upfront aromas and flavors of caramel malt, earthy hops and dried grass, with hints of brown bread and baking spice. The palate is smooth and balanced, full without being heavy, while medium carbonation keeps the finish fresh and lively. A ses-sionable yet richly satisfactory brew. abv: 5% Price: $10/12 oz 6 pack

2390 Elysian Split Shot

Espresso Milk Stout (Milk/Sweet Stout; Elysian Brewing Company, WA). Elysian teamed up with Pacific North-west-based roaster Stumptown Coffee for this lush, creamy, im-mensely attractive stout. As ex-pected, it is brimming with rich and seductive notes of milk chocolate and espresso, while hints of turbinado sugar, cocoa powder and chocolate-malt balls dance in the background. The texture is full, yet fluffy, like frothed 2% milk. A mocha-cap-

puccino flavor hangs around long on the close. abv: 5.6% Price: $12/12 oz 6 pack

2490 Innis & Gunn Bourbon

Aged Stout Limited Edi-tion (English Stout; Innis & Gunn, Scotland). This is a flavorful yet approachable barrel-aged brew that offers attractive Bourbon tones of vanilla and toasted oak without being too overwhelming. It pours a dark mahogany color, with soft aromas of smoke and peppery biscuit that dance in the bouquet. The medium-weight mouthfeel has a slightly creamy texture, but brisk carbonation keeps it lifted and fresh. Tradi-tional stout flavors of roasted

cocoa nib, toasted nut, warm plum and dried cherry unfold on the palate, while notes of black pepper and vanilla bean hang around on the finish. abv: 7.4% Price: $9/660 ml

2590 Stone Coffee Milk Stout Ale (Milk/Sweet

Stout; Stone Brewing Co., CA). Okay, Stone aficionados—get ready for something completely different. From the brewery that typically focuses on hop-fueled selections of great power and inten-sity comes this light, accessible, easy-drinking milk stout, the lowest-alcohol bottled beer Stone’s re-leased in 15 years. Brewed with roasted coffee beans, it still offers ample aromas and flavors of black cof-fee, light licorice, bitter chocolate and burnt toast. The lightly bitter finish shows good staying power, with a touch of vanilla on the back. abv: 4.2% Price: $2/12 oz